Tamperproof container closure



May 17, 1966 J. A. FOSTER TAMPERPROOF CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed Nov. 20, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 v51 ram OTTQI'QMEYn/ May 17, 1966 J. A. FOSTER 3,251,509

TAMPERPROOF CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed Nov. 20, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 17, 1966 J, T 3,251,509

TAMPERPROOF CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed Nov. 20, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 W QjO -M CQ-FBJZ'E/ 5 a gi /w 6 aw CA T-rc RMEY/ May 17, 1966 J- A. FOSTER TAMPERPROOF CONTAINER CLOSURE 5 Sheets-Shee t: 4

Filed Nov. 20, 1964 v wvsww-ow W, (A v 0m CATTQRNED' y 1966 J. A. FOSTER 3,251,509

TAMPERPROOF CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed Nov. 20, 1964 5 Sheets-Shet s m Q/ohn cA. mam

W d f v CAT/T d United States Patent Illinois Filed Nov. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 414,508

14 @laims. (Cl. 222153) This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No 261,978, filed March 1, 1963, now abandoned.

The invention relates to a conatiner having a top opening covered by a member which may be moved manually to an open position to permit removal of the container contents and then returned to a position closing the opening. The invention has more particular reference to a closure of the plug type comprising a molding of resilient plastic hinged on the container top for movement into and out of sealing engagement with the defining wall of the dispensing opening. In certain aspects, the invention involves a single-piece plastic molding providing a closure for a spoon opening hinged to the container wall and a second closure for sifter openings hinged to the first closure.

The primary object is to incorporate in the single-piece molding a new and improved means for tamperproofing container closures of the above character.

Another object is to effect the tamperproofing of both the sifter and spoon hole closures by a single tamperproofing element.

A further object is to effect the tamperproofing through an element which may be torn out of and removed from the plastic molding.

The invention also resides in the novel manner of utilizing the tamperproofing element to connect the closures to the container wall while facilitating release of this element.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention 'will become apparent from the following detailed descrip tion taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a container top equipped with one form of tamperproof closure embodying the novel features of the present invention.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective top and bottom views 4 o fthe plastic molding forming the closure and the tamperproofing member.

FIG. 4 is a view of the container top after tearing of the tamper indicating member.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of removing the tamperproofing member.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the removed part of the tamperproofing member.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are fragmentary sections taken respectively along the line 77, 88 and 9-9 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the sheet metal top of the container.

FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 are views similar to FIGS. 1, 4 and 6 showing a modified form of the tamperproofing member.

FIGS. 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 are views similar to FIGS.

1-3, 8 and 9 respectively showing a modified formof the Patented May 17, 1966 tion to these specific forms but aim to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and uses falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings, the invention in several forms is shown incorporated in the top construction of a conventional spice can 10 of generally rectagular cross-section having a relatively large and elongated opening 11 (FIGS. 8-10) in the flat top 12 and extending along the longer dimension of the rectangle. Herein, the top is a sheetmetal stamping joined to the can body by a seam 13. The opening 11, which is made large enough to receive an ordinary spoon but substantially smaller in area than the top, is defined by a narrow inturned flange 14 having arcuate ends 15 merging with elongated sides 16 which bulge outward slightly as shown in FIG. 10 and extend in the direction of the longer dimension of the rectangular tOP.

The opening 11 is closed by a plug 17 hinged on the top 12 for movement into and out of the opening to close or open the latter and also having sifter holes 18 extending therethrough and adapted to be closed by a cover or cap in the form of a flap 19 hinged on the plug, the plug, the cap, and the hinges therefor being molded as one integral piece preferably of resiliently yieldable plastic material as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A suitable material is polyethylene sold by du Pont under the trade name of Alathon-17.

Herein the top of the plug is a generally fiat plate 20 somewhat larger than the spoon hole 11 so that its marginal edge overlaps the flange 14 and lies flat against the top as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 when the plug is pressed fully into the hole.- Cooperating with the plate to form an airtight seal around the spoon hole is a depending peripheral wall formed in this instance by a skirt or narrow flange 21 molded integral with the botttom of the plate and having intermediate its edges an outwardly facing bead 22 conforming in size and shape but slightly larger than. the flange. Thus, the skirt, when pressed into the hole, as shown in FIG. 8, is compressed inwardly to provide the desired band-like seal between the bead and the flange around the entire periphery of the latter. Below the bead is an outturned shoulder 23 which, around the hinged end and sides of the plug skirt, is sized to ,snap outwardly a short distance beneath the edge 24 to the flange 11 (see FIG. 8) to effectually hold the plug in closed position while permitting the same to be lifted out of the opening. At the other or free end of the plug skirt, the shoulder is set inwardly or omitted as indicated at 23 (FIG. 8) so as not to interfere with the lifting of this end of the plug upwardly when it is desired to open the spoon hole.

To make the plug a captive closure, it is connected to the top 12 through a hinge extending across and located near one end of the rectangular 'top 12 and formed in this instance-by a pair of flat and relatively thin straps 26 molded integral with one end of the cover plate 20 in the plane and near the corners thereof. The hinge axis 27 is located in the desired position by the bottoms of grooves 29 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 7)- molded in and extending across the undersides of the straps 26. The latter may be connected at their outer ends by a crosspiece 28 leaving an elongated hole 26* in the top plate 20 between the hinge straps.

The outer ends of the straps are fastened securely to the container top 12 preferably by simply pressing depending lugs 30 thereon into holes 31 punched through the metal of the top. Herein the lugs are short cylinders somewhat tapered at their ends 32 to guide their entry into the holes. The latter are preferably punched by a tapered tool point and without removal of the parent metal so as to leave side walls which terminate in somewhat jagged edges 33 which bite into the plastic and assist in retaining the lugs and holding the ears firmly against the container top. By making the lugs slightly larger in diameter than the upper ends of the holes, the resilient plastic will be compressed as the lugs are forced into the holes and assume the exact contour of the walls of the holes thus forming an airtight seal.

In the present instance, the cap 19 for closing and opening the sifter holes 18 is a relatively flat plate or flap extending along the long dimension of the rectangular top wall 12 and having projections 35 molded integral with the underside thereof and spaced apart to correspond to the arrangement of the sifter holes into which the re spective projections are guided by virtue of the tapered ends 36 thereof. If desired, the sifter holes may be enlarged at their upper ends to further facilitate entry of the closing projections. I

Integral with one end of the cap 19 is a strap 37 somewhat thinner than the plate and molded integral with the free end 38 of the plug plate 20. This strap is bent reversely and onto the top of the plug 20 and thus provides a hinge which is disposed beyond the free end of the plug and at the end of the rectangular top wall 12 opposite the hinge 27. By flexing and reversebending of the strap, the cover 19 may be swung between a closed position (FIGS. 1 and 4) in which the lugs 35 project into the sifter holes with a press fit and an open position shown in phantom in FIG. 8.

A tab 38 molded integral with the free end of the cap 19 and inclined upwardly from the top of the plug plate 20 in the closed position of the cap may be gripped between the users thumb and forefinger and pulled upwardly to the position shown in phantom in FIG. 8, thus uncovering the sifter holes and disposing the cap out of the way to permit sifting of the container contents by sifting the same out through the holes 18. Then, by

swinging the cap reversely and downwardly, the lugs 35 are guided back into the holes thus reclosing the latter. The cap 19 when pulled upwardly out of the sifter openings constitutes an enlarged pull tab for lifting the plug 17 out of the spoon hole opening 11.

The present invention contemplates tamperproofing the closure through the association with or incorporation in the closure assembly of one of more parts which, when the closure is assembled on the closure wall, locks the two together but which may be broken to permit an authorized person to condition the closure for normal service use or, when broken by an unauthorized person, gives a visual indication of the tampering. Preferably, the parts adapted to thus be broken or torn away are lengths of a straplike member adapted to be severed by cross-tearing along one or more lines by outwardly pulling of a tab integral with the tearable parts.

In the form shown in FIGS. 1 to 13, the tamper indicating member is actually removable from the singlepiece plastic molding and is incorporated in one or more strap-like projections or arms 40 extending outwardly from the fiaplike closure 17 and anchored at their outer ends to the container top 12, an intermediate portion of the projection being tearable away by lifting the closure upwardly while leaving the outer end of the arm anchored to the container top. Two of the arms 40 are employed in this form of the invention and extended outwardly from opposite sides of the sifter cap 19 intermediate the ends thereof thus forming a crosspiece paralleling the hinge axis of the cap. With the outer ends of the projections anchored to the can top 12 near opposite edges of the latter, the crosspiece holds the sifter cap 19 down against the plug and the latter down against the top thus serving to tamperproof both the sifter and spoon openings.

In the form shown in FIGS. 1 to 10, the arms 40 are molded integral with the cap 19 and take the form of flat and relatively thin straps which, in the final assembly, lie flat against the edge portions of the top plate 20 of the plug 17 and then bend downwardly into face to face contact with the top 12 around holes 41 which are thus covered by the end portions 42 of the arms. These ends are anchored to the top 12 in the same way as the hinge straps 26'. To this end, short and generally cylindrical lugs 43 molded integral with and depending from the arm ends 42 are forced with a tight press fit down through depending flanges 44 of corresponding size and cross-sectional contour punched out of the metal of the top 12. By making the lugs somewhat larger in crosssection and greater in length than the flanges, the plastic expands beneath the jagged edges 45 at the lower ends of flanges and thus become anchored securely to the top 12 while sealing the holes 41 tightly closed.

To release the sifter cap and the spoon hole plug for normal use, provision is made for tearing the arms 40 along lines which extend traversely of the arms and are disposed close to the anchored ends 42. These tear lines may be defined in a variety of ways .as by making the arms thin enough to tear when stressed as later described. Starting the tears along the desired lines may be achieved by notching the edges of the arms as indicated at 56. To insure that the tears 46 will be clean and relatively smooth, it is preferred to weaken the plastic along the desired tear lines. This may be accomplished by suitable scoring as by molding a shallow groove 47 in one face, the top in this case, the groove extending from the notch 56 across the full width of the arm.

When a very conspicuous indication of tampering by an unauthorized person is desired, provision is made for removal from between the tear lines of a substantial length of the crosspiece formed by the arms thus leaving, in the case of the preferred construction, gaps 57 (see FIG. 4) of substantial width between the tears 46 and the edges of the sifter cap 19. For this purpose, provision is made for tearing the inner ends of the arms away from the edges of the sifter cap 19 and leaving tears 48 along these edges. Such tear lines are defined herein by shallow grooves 49 of V cross-section formed in the top and bottom faces of the arms and extending along the junctions of the arms 40 and the edges of the sifter cap 19. As in the case of the outer tear lines,'location and starting of the tears 48 may be facilitated by notching the edges of the arms 40 at the end of the grooves 49 as indicated at 58. The grooves 47 and 49 thus define intermediate sections 50 of the arms which may be torn away and removed from the closure proper.

To facilitate tearing out the arm sections 59, each one is molded integral along one edge with a pull tab 51 which, in the form shown in FIGS. 1'-10, comprises a relatively flat yoke of generally U-shape having legs 52 along opposite edges of the sifter cap and in the plane of the latter and the arms 40 with which the ends of the legs are integral. The yoke is of substantially the same thickness as the cap 19 and its closed end 53 extends across and is spaced outwardly from the finger tab 38 of the cap. Herein the free end of the yoke is bent and inclined upwardly and ribbed or otherwise roughened as indicated at 54 to facilitate gripping between the thumb and forefinger of the users hand asillustrated in FIG. 5.

It will be apparent that the spoon hole plugs, the sifter holes and cap, the hinges for the two, the hinge anchors, the tamperproofing members, and their anchors may, when constructed as above described, bemolded from resilient plastic material in a single integral piece shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. To assemble this piece on the container top 12 after seaming the same onto the body 10, the sifter cap 14 is swung upwardly from the position shown in FIG. 2 and reversely onto the top of the plug 20 to bring the closure projections 35 into alinement with the sifter holes 18. Atter pressing the projections in these holes, the four anchoring lugs 30 and 43 are located accurately relative to each other with the same relative spacing as the holes 31 in the top 12. To complete the assembly as shown in FIG. 1, it is only necessary to place the plastic piece, after folding to close the sifter holes, on the top 12 with the lugs and top holes in alinement and then press the same downwardly until the lugs become fully projected through the flanges 31 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. With the molded piece thus assembled on the container as shown in FIG. 1, the closure plug and the sifter cap are both locked securely to the top 12 and neither can be opened by an unauthorized person without leaving a clear and conspicuous indication of the. tampering.

To release the plug and cap for normal use, the tab 53 is gripped between the thumb 60 and forefinger 61 of one hand and, while the sifter cap is pressed downwardly by the users other thumb 63 disposed between the legs 52 of the yoke 51, the tab pulled upwardly as illustrated in FIG. 5 thus starting the tears 46 and 48 along the grooves 47 and 49. As the upward pulling is continued, the tears are extended across the full width of the arms 40 thus separating the intermediate sections 50 of the latter from the sifter cap and from the end portions 42. The yoke 51 with the sections 50 thereon as shown in FIG. 6 is thus removed completely leaving the ends 42 still anchored to the top 12 as shown in FIG. 4 and the holes 41 thus sealed. The sifter cap 19 is thus freed and may be swung upwardly to the position shown in phantom in FIG. 8 to permit sifting the container contents out through the holes 18. Alternatively, the cap and its connected hinge straps 37 may be pulledupwardly still farther to lift the plug 17 out of the opening 11 and thus expose the latter for removal of the container contents with the aid of a spoon. Closure of the spoon and sifter holes is effected by reverse swinging of the plug and cap.

If desired, tamperproofing of the combined spoon hole cover and sifter cap type of closure above described may be effected by forming the arms or projections 40 as the opposite-end portions of a separatelymolded piece of theplastic above mentioned. Such a modification is shown in FIGS. 11-13 in which the parts of the same construction as described above are indicated by the same reference numerals. In this construction, the arms 42 are molded integral with opposite ends of an elongated and generally flat member 65 which lies against the top of and extends across the sifter cap 19 near the free end thereof. As before, the grooves 47 are extended across the arms to define transverse tear lines located adjacent the outer ends 42 of the arms and defined by the grooves 47 and the notches 56. The ends 42 are anchored to the top in the manner above described. The inner ends of the arms are however left ungrooved or notched so that the cross-member 65 and the arms may be torn away from the anchored ends 42 and removed 'as the single piece shown in FIG. 13. The ends 42 and the resulting tears 46 remain attached to the container top as shown in FIG. 12, the sifter cap and plug then being swingable upwardly as above described to expose the sifter holes or the spoon hole. Such tearing action is facilitated by a pull tab 66 molded integral with one side edge of the cross-piece and inclined upwardly relative to the top of the sifter cap to facilitate finger gripping.

If such a conspicuous indication of tampering with the container closure is not required, the overall construction of the single-piece plastic molding may be somewhat simplified by the modification shownin FIGS. 14-49 in which the parts of the same general construction as those of the form first described are identified by the same reference numerals.

Release of the sifter closure 19 from the outer arm ends and anchor lugs 43 is effected by pulling upwardly on the same tab 38 that is used in lifting this closure to uncover the sifter openings 18. That is to say, the roughened and upwardly inclined free end.72 of the tab 38 is grasped between the thumb and forefinger and then pulled upwardly as shown in dotted outline in FIG. 17. The tearing starts at the ends of the grooves 70 adjacent the tab 38 as shown in FIG. 19 thus leaving opposed and torn edges 74, 75. As the upward pull is continued, the tab is torn completely away from outer anchored ends of the arms 40 leaving the latter attached to the container wall 12. Gripping of the tab 38 and tearing thereof away from the arms is facilitated by providing a hole 73 in the closure 19 spaced from the tab end and sized to receive the end of the users thumb preparatory to the tearing.

With both of the arms severed at the torn edges 74, 75 of the arms and the closure 19, the latter may be swung upwardly to the dot-dash position shown in FIG. 17 thus uncovering and exposing the holes 18 to permit sifting out the contents after inverting the container. As the closure is swung backwardly and onto the spoon hole closure 20 to reclose the sifter openings, the closure 19 comes between and into the plane of the torn edges 75 of the arms 40 but the lines of tearing along opposite edges of the closure will be visible. This gives a clear indication of tampering if the tearing has been effected by an unauthorized person.

If it is desired to remove the container contents with the aid of a spoon, the tab 33 is pulled upwardly and beyond the sifting position, the closure 20 being lifted out of the top wall opening 14 and swung upwardly about the hinge axis 27. The spoon hole is fully exposed when the parts reach the 'dotted position shown in FIG. 20. Reclosure of the container is effected by swinging the closure reversely, pressing the same into the opening 14 and finally swinging the closure 19 down against the closure 20 to cover the sifter holes.

It will be observed that in each of the constructions above described the sifter and spoon hole closures 19 and 20, the means of their attachment to the container top, and the means for tamperproofing each closure are incorporated in a single-piece elongated plastic molding and become effective simply by folding the closures together and pressing the anchor lugs 30 and 43 into holes in the container top. Such tamperproofing is facilitated by hinging the sifter hole closure at one end of the spoon hole closure and securing the tamperproofing elements 40 to the top 12 and the closure 19 intermediate the ends and on opposite sides of this closure preferably in alinement with each other. In each instance, the tamperproofing is achieved by weakening the molding across the arms 40 at the junctions of the arms and the intervening pull tab 38 or 51 by which the tearing along both lines may be effected simultaneously. Hinging of the elongated spoon hole closure 17 at one end is also advantageous inthat reclosure and entry of the plug 17 in the spoon hole is effected easily and simply by pressing the free end portion of this closure downwardly against the container top. By locating the sifter holes near the free end of the spoon hole closure 20 and making the hinge-loop 37 relatively fiat as shown in FIG. 17, the projections 35 become alined with the sifter holes 18 automatically. as the closure 19 is swung toward the closure 20. Reclosure of the sifter holes is thus facilitated.

I claim as my invention:

1. A container comprising a sheet metal top Wall having a dispensing opening therein, and a one-piece closure molded of resiliently yieldable plastic and comprising, in combination, a closure member closely telescoped with a part of said wall to close said opening and having a series of sifter holes therethrough, means hinging said member on said top wall for swinging into and out of closed and open positions, a cap hinged on said member for movement toward and away from the top thereof to cover and uncover said sifter holes, two arms molded integral with said cap and projecting in opposite directions therefrom outwardly along said top wall and beyond the edge of said member, means anchoring the outer ends of said arms securely to said top wall, each of said arms beingtearable along lines extending transversely across the arm and spaced apart along the arm whereby to define an intermediate section removable by cross-tearing the arm along said lines, and a pull tab molded integral with said arm sections and adapted, when pulled upwardly and away from said top wall while said cap is held against said member to tear said arm sections away from said member and said anchored ends.

2. A container comprising a sheet metal top wall having a dispensing opening therein, and a one-piece closure molded of resiliently yieldable plastic and comprising, in combination, a closure member closely telescoped with a part of said wall to close said opening and having a series of sifter holes therethrough, means hinging said member on said top wall for swinging into and out of closed and open positions, a cap hinged on said member for movement toward and away from the top thereof to cover and uncover said sifter holes, an arm molded integral with said cap and projecting outwardly therefrom along said top wall and beyond said member, means anchoring the outer end of said arm securely to said top wall, said arm being tearable along lines extending transversely across the arm and spaced apart along the arm whereby to define an intermediate section removable by cross-tearing the arm along said lines, and a pull tab molded integral with and projecting laterally from said arm section and adapted, when pulled upwardly and away from said top wall while said cap is held against said closure member, to tear away said arm section and leave a gap between said member and the anchored end of the arm.

3. A container comprising a top wall having a dispensing opening and a tamperproof closure therefor having, in combination, a closure member peripherally shaped to interfit with said wall and close said opening, means hinging said member on said top wall for movement between open and closed positions, two arms connected to opposite edges of said member and projecting outwardly therefrom so as to lie adjacent said top wall, said arms being spaced from the hinge axis of said member, means anchoring the outer ends of said arms to said wall, each of said arms being tearable along transverse lines defining between them a removable section, and a U-shaped element lying adjacent said wall and having laterally spaced legs secured at their ends to said removable arm sections and projecting laterally therefrom, the closed end of the U constituting a tab adapted to be gripped and pulled upwardly to tear said arm sections away from said member and anchoring means and thereby free said member for opening movem nt while leaving gaps between opposite edges of said member and said anchored ends.

4. A container having a tamperproof closure and comprising in combination, a top wall having a dispensing opening therein, a plug molded of resilient plastic and having a peripheral wall telescoped in said opening for removal therefrom to uncover the opening, a strap-like arm molded integral with said plug and extending outwardly therefrom along and adjacent the outer surface of said top wall, and means anchoring the outer end of said arm securely to said top wall whereby to prevent removal of said plug from said opening, said arm being weakened at points spaced along the arm to define lines for cross-tearing of the arm and removal of the intervening section of the arm whereby to free said plug for opening movement and leave the anchored end of the arm attached to said top wall, and a pull tab molded integral with said arm section and adapted, when pulled away from said top wall to tear said arm along said lines and remove said section and tab from said plug.

5. A container comprising a top wall having a dispensing opening and a tamperproof closure therefor composed of resiliently yieldable material and having, in combination, a closure member peripherally shaped to interfit with said well around said opening and seal the latter closed, means hinging said member on said top wall for movement between open and closed positions, a second member connected to and projecting from a portion of said closure member spaced from said hinging means and disposed adjacent and above said top wall, means anchoring the outer end of said second member permanently to said top wall and thereby cooperate with said hinging means in holding said closure member in closed position against unauthorized opening, said second member being tearable along spaced transverse lines defining between them a section movable away from said wall upon tearing the member along said lines, and a tab connected to said section and adapted to be gripped and lifted upwardly to tear said second member along said transverse lines and separate said section from said anchoring means whereby to free said closure member and leave the anchored end of the second member attached to said top wall.

6. A container as defined in claim 5 in which said anchoring means comprises a lug molded integral with and depending from said second member and projecting with a press fit through a hole in said top wall.

'7. A container as defined in claim 5 in which said tear lines are defined by grooves formed in and extending across said second member.

8. A container comprising a top wall having a dispensing opening and a tamperproof closure therefor composed of resiliently yieldable material and having, in combination, a closure member peripherally shaped to interfit with said wall around said opening and seal the latter closed, means hinging said member on said top wall for movement between open and closed positions, a second member overlying said closure member and having arms projecting outwardly along said top wall beyond opposite edges of the closure member, means anchoring the outer ends of said arms permanently to said top wall and thereby hold the closure member in closed position against unauthorized opening, each of said arms being tearable along a transverse line, and means on said second member between said tear lines by which a part of the member may be lifted away from said wall whereby to tear the arms away from said anchored end portions thereof and free said closure member for opening movement.

9. A container comprising a top wall having a dispensing opening and a tamperproof closure therefor composed of resiliently yieldable material and having, in combination, a closure member peripherally shaped to inter-lit with said wall around said opening and seal the latter closed, means hinging said member on said top wall for movement between open and closed positions, a separately formed strap of flexible tearable material extending across and lying against the top of said member and providing arms projecting outwardly from opposite edges of the member, means anchoring the outer ends of said arms to said top wall, said arms being tearable along transverse lines defining between them a r movable section, and means on said strap between said lines providing a tab for facilitating pulling of the same upwardly from said top wall to tear the intervening portion of the strap away from the anchored end portions of said arms and free said member for opening movement.

10. A container comprising a sheet metal top wall having a dispensing openings therein, and a one-piece closure molded of resiliently yieldable plastic and comprising, in combination, a closure member closely telescoped with a part of said wall to close said opening and having a series of sitter holes therethrough, means hinging said member on said top wall for swinging between positions covering and uncovering said opening, a cover hinged on said member for swinging toward and away from the top thereof to cover and uncover said sitter holes, and means for securing said member and said cover against unauthorized upward swinging to uncover either said holes or said opening comprising an arm integral with and extending outwardly from the free end portion of said cover outwardly beyond the edge of said member, a hole in said top Wall underlying the outer end portion of said arm, a lug integral with and depending from said outer end portion and pressed through said hole to interlock with the defining wall thereof, and two score lines extending across said arm and spaced along the latter between said cover and said lug whereby to define an intermediate section removable by cross-tearing the arm along said lines.

11. A container comprising a sheet metal top wall having a dispensing opening therein, and a one-piece closure molded of resiliently yieldable plastic and comprising, in combination, a closure member closely telescoped with a part of said wall to close said opening and having a series of sifter holes therethrough, means hinging said member on said top wall for swinging into and out of closed and open positions relative to said opening, a cover hinged on said member for swinging toward and away from the top thereof to cover and uncover said sifter holes, and means for securing said member and said cover against unauthorized upward swinging to uncover either said holes or said opening comprising an arm integral with and extending from the free end portion of said cover outwardly beyond the edge of said member, a hole in said top wall underlying the outer end portion of said arm, a lug integral with and depending from said outer end portion and pressed through said hole to interlock with the defining wall thereof, a score line eX- tending across said arm between said lug and the free end, portion of said cover, and a tab integral with and projecting from one edge of said arm and adapted, when pulled upwardly and away from said member to tear said cover away from the outer end of the arm and said lug and thereby free said cover and member for upward swinging to uncover said sifter holes or said opening.

12. A container as defined in claim 11 in which the hinge axes of said member and cover parallel each other and said score line extends in directions substantially perpendicular to such axes.

V 13. A container comprising a sheet metal top wall having a spoon hole dispensing opening therein, and a one-piece closure molded of resiliently yieldable plastic and comprising, in combination, a closure member closely telescoped within the defining wall of said opening and having a series of sifter holes therethrough, means hinging one end of said member on said top Wall for swinging between positions covering and uncovering said opening, a cover for said sifter openings in the form of a flexible flap integral with the opposite end of said member and reversely bent onto the latter to form a hinge for swinging of the flap toward and away from the top of the member to cover and uncover said sifter holes, a pull tab formed by the free end portion of said flap to permit the flap to be pulled upwardly and swung away from said holes to expose the latter for sifting out the container contents, said tab, upon further upwardly pulling lifting the free-end of said cover member out of said opening and swinging the member about said axis to expose the full length of the opening, arms integral with and projecting outwardly in opposite directions from opposite edges of said flap, means anchoring the outer ends of said arms to said top wall whereby to resist upward lifting of said flap or member, and means defining tear lines extending across said arms for enabling the opposite sides of said flap to be broken away from said anchoring means by an upwardly pull manually applied to said tab.

14. A container as defined in claim 5 in which said tab and said section, upon tearing along said transverse lines, are separated and removed from both of said members so as to leave a visible gap between the torn edges when the closure member is swung back to closed position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,531,630 11/1950 Jones 222541 X 3,018,024 1/ 1962 Foord 222---543 X 3,155,285 11/1964 Van Baarn 222-153 3,163,331 12/ 1964 Wallberg 222-485 LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

RAPHAEL 'M. LUPO, Examiner. 

4. A CONTAINER HAVING A TAMPERPROOF CLOSURE AND COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A TOP WALL HAVING A DISPENSING OPENING THEREIN, A PLUG MOLDED OF RESILIENT PLASTIC AND HAVING A PERIPHERAL WALL TELESCOPED IN SAID OPENING FOR REMOVAL THEREFROM TO UNCOVER THE OPENING, A STRAP-LIKE ARM MOLDED INTEGRAL WITH SAID PLUG AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM ALONG AND ADJACENT THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID TOP WALL, AND MEANS ANCHORING THE OUTER END OF SAID ARM SECURELY TO SAID TOP WALL WHEREBY TO PREVENT REMOVAL OF SAID PLUG FROM SAID OPENING, SAID ARM BEING WEAKENED AT POINTS SPACED ALONG THE ARM TO DEFINE LINES FOR CROSS-TEARING OF THE ARM AND REMOVAL OF THE INTERVENING SECTION OF THE ARM WHEREBY TO FREE SAID PLUG FOR OPENING MOVEMENT AND LEAVE THE ANCHORED END OF THE ARM ATTACHED TO SAID TOP WALL, AND A PULL TAB MOLDED INTEGRAL WITH SAID ARM SECTION AND ADAPTED, WHEN PULLED AWAY FROM SAID TOP WALL TO TEAR SAID ARM ALONG SAID LINES AND REMOVE SAID SECTION AND TAB FROM SAID PLUG. 